Bill Maher has announced that his late-night talk show, Real Time, will return to television without its writing staff. The show is currently on hiatus due to the Writers Guild of America strike, which began in November 2022.
Maher made the announcement on social media, saying that he was doing so "to bring people back to work" and to support the non-writing staff of the show. He also acknowledged that the show would not be as good without its writers, but said that he was willing to make that sacrifice to help his crew.
"The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction," Maher wrote. "But they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns."
Maher's decision to return to television without writers is a controversial one. Some people have praised him for his support of his crew, while others have criticized him for crossing the picket line and undermining the Writers Guild of America strike.
"I am disappointed by Bill Maher's decision to cross the picket line and produce Real Time without writers," said David A. Goodman, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. "Maher has been a vocal supporter of writers in the past, and I am surprised that he would choose to abandon us now."
However, Maher defended his decision in a subsequent interview, saying that he felt a responsibility to his crew and to his audience.
"I understand that some people will be critical of me for crossing the picket line," Maher said. "But I believe that it is in the best interests of my crew and my audience to keep the show on the air."
Maher's show is expected to return to television in early October. It remains to be seen how the show will fare without its writers. However, Maher is a talented comedian and interviewer, and the show is likely to remain popular with its viewers.